Be on the lookout for ‘pillow case bandits’

February 8, 2012

We at the Lehigh Acres Community Initiative at the Lee County Sheriff's Office have received an urgent request from the Command Staff here in the East District to solicit the assistance of the residents and business leaders in Lehigh Acres.

Be on the alert for the "Pillow Case Bandits." The specifics are as follows:

* They are driving rented cars (the license plates will probably not be from Lee County and may not even be Florida tags due to the means used to acquire the vehicles.)

* The windows of the cars have been darkly tinted.

* There will be no less than two men or more than four in the vehicle

* These will be young men.

These characteristics describe a group of young men who have been committing burglaries throughout the state of Florida.

Their method of operations as follows:

* They will approach a home and either try the bell and/or knock on the door to determine if there is anyone at home.

* Once they determine that there is no one at home, they will either pry or kick open the front door.

* Once inside they will grab a pillow case and search for cash, guns and high end jewelry.

* They are usually in and out in about seven minutes.

If you see the late model car with tinted windows and two or more males in it driving slowly through your neighborhood, call 477-1000 immediately and report what you see.

If you see a male from the vehicle approach the front door and stand there for a few minutes and then begin to enter the home, followed shortly by another male or males, call 911 immediately and tell them what you see and be sure to give the address of the home being burglarized.

Be sure to call immediately as time is of the essence.

One other thing: if you have an alarm system in your home, be sure and activate it every time you leave the house.

Thank you for all you do to make the East District a safer place for all of us to live.